While my temples throbbed with the task ahead and the responsibilities Gabriel had bestowed upon me, I still managed to grin, knowing I wouldn’t be doing this alone. Shit, in The Light Stella had been chosen. In the Shadows she’d believe she was married to the leader—to me. It didn’t get much fucking higher than that.
I wasn’t interested in a harem or brides of the Shadows. There was one woman I wanted. And now that I was the leader, my every desire was obtainable. I wanted the old Stella, but I’d take an improved version. She really was smarter than shit. I liked her quick tongue and questions. In the new version, I’d encourage her strengths, as long as she knew that when it came to my word, it was indisputable. I smoothed her hair away from her face and tried to ignore the blackened eye. With her beside me, and the Shadow resources, we would be unstoppable.
My first official proclamation after Joel arrived with a new phone would be to assure Thomas Hutchinson’s fate. My neck straightened as I brushed my thumb over her swollen eye. Before he died, that fucker would know the fear Stella had experienced when he threatened to rape her.
I paced by the large window, the glow of Gabriel’s house still lightening the horizon. Shaking my head, I tried again to log my MOA phone onto the private network, but it didn’t have authorization. Fuck! I’d missed so much by not having my real phone. At least now I didn’t need to worry about anyone finding it and connecting it to me. With that explosion, they might not even be able to identify my car, and they definitely wouldn’t find Elijah.
That stupid asshole.
Under my regime things would change. Then again, I wasn’t as narcissistic as my uncle. I understood that not everything had to be my way. He believed he was invincible. I’d warned him to have contingency plans at all the campuses. He wouldn’t listen. He was so damn sure that the isolation would be enough.
I didn’t need to worry about that with the Shadows. Our growth over the last few years had knocked the number of followers on the campuses out of the damn water. We’d also known that what had happened tonight was always a possibility.
My phone buzzed. Finally. Maybe the damn circuits were catching up.
Joel: WE’RE HERE. LET US IN.
I glanced at Stella, still sleeping like a baby, before I walked through the house and opened the front door.
“Shit, D. This is worse than we imagined,” Joel said, shaking his head as they entered. By their expressions they both looked as if they’d just suffered through an FBI raid, not heard about it.
“Get your head in this,” I said as I patted Joel on the shoulder.
Chloe buried her tearstained face in my chest as she wrapped her arms around my waist. “Dylan, I never thought . . . do we know yet? They have Gabriel. Don’t they?”
I shook my head and gently rubbed her back. The three of us had been friends for most of our lives. Their parents and mine had been some of the first followers. While their parents had gone to the campuses, mine had gone to work in the Shadows. Gabriel had known he needed reinforcements scattered about. “I don’t know,” I replied. “I don’t have my real phone, only the MOA one, and it’s not authorized for the network. Besides, the damn circuits have been swamped. If Gabriel did try to reach me, well, he couldn’t.”
“The last communication didn’t sound good,” Joel said.
Slowly Chloe released her hug, and I led them back to the kitchen.
“We can’t reach anyone at the Northern Light,” she stammered. “M-my mom. My dad . . .” She walked toward the back living room.
As Joel reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a beer, he asked, “Where’s your phone? Why don’t you have it?”
“Dylan!”
Joel and I turned toward Chloe’s scream. Her lips were pressed together and her arms crossed over her chest as she stared at Stella’s sleeping body.
“This! She? Are you crazy?” She didn’t wait for my answer as her earlier sadness morphed to indignation. “This is that woman, the one you were dating, the one that was sent away. Isn’t it?”
I pulled my shoulders back. “Yes.”
“Gabriel told you—”
I took a step forward. “Gabriel isn’t in charge anymore, at least not currently.”
“But he said—”
“Chloe,” Joel warned. “D’s right.”
“Either you’re with me on all decisions or on none,” I declared.
Fuck! I sounded just like my uncle, but at the moment I didn’t care.
Chloe took a deep breath. “Fine. Is this why you wanted me to bring the drug?”
“Yes. She’s spent the last nine months at the northern campus. When she first disappeared there was a lot of press and police activity. It’s safer now. She’s old news.”
“D, man, I’m not questioning you, but are you sure?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure. When I first brought her here, I was thinking I could get her to the Western Light.” I ran my hand through my hair. “She’s a pain in the ass, but I’m not ready to let her be banished.” I scrunched my nose. “I also wasn’t going to leave her at the mansion.”